2 St. Benilde teams gain in Martin Cup

MANILA, Philippines - College of St. Benilde beat its rivals in two fronts over the weekend to advance to the second stage of the quarterfinal playoffs of the ninth Fr. Martin Cup Collegiate Open basketball tournament at the Trinity University of Asia gym in Quezon City.

Mark Romero fired 30 points as the CSB-A Blazers nipped the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in Group B while the CSB-B Blazers, behind Rafael Romero Nayve’s 10 points, trounced the Lyceum Pirates, 73-45, in Group A.

The CSB-A Blazers thus earned right to face the unbeaten and top seeded Group B contender Adamson Falcons for a semifinals slot in this weekend’s playoffs, according to commissioner Robert de la Rosa.

The CSB-B Blazers, on the other hand, will take on the Letran Knights, who took the No. 2 seeding in Group A with a 5-1 slate.

In the first stage of the quarters playoffs, the Informatics Icons stopped the Mapua Cardinals, 61-57, while the University of the Philippines Maroons turned back the University of Perpetual Help-A Altas, 63-56. 

Mark Montuano tallied 25 points for the Icons, who sealed a showdown with the second ranked Arellano University Chiefs for the other Group B semis berth.

Julius Wong topscored for the Maroons with 16 markers. UP finished fifth in Group A for a duel with defending champion San Beda for a semis spot.